If the Edmonton Oilers needed extra motivation to bring it in the final stop of a six-game road swing against the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday, they got some bulletin board material when Montreal's Lars Eller said the visitors to the Bell Centre "play a little bit like a junior team."

"It's hard to say. It can be anything, you know? They play a little bit like a junior team, I think, sometimes," he said when asked what the Canadiens could expect from the Oilers.

"They take a lot risks, a lot of chances. They’re a little all over the place. There’s not a lot of structure always in their game. It can really be anything. You don’t know. I prefer a little more structured game. Then again, I don’t mind high-scoring games, too. Obviously, we’re going to try with their skilled players to limit their chances."

Eller was right about one thing – the Oilers were "a little all over the place in this one. The visitors were, in fact, a lot all over the place as they went from looking like they'd get embarrassed in the first period to scoring four straight goals en route to a 4-3 decision in a game they absolutely had to win.

CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE

Beaten by the Habs 4-1 at Rexall Place Oct. 10, the Oilers looked like they'd be in for an encore in the opening 20 minutes. Outshot and dominated on the dot, they fashioned an about-face in the final 40 minutes to win their second straight on the swing (they won 3-1 in Ottawa) and pack for home with five points from the trip. Gutsy stuff and, yes, all over the place.

Not a great half-dozen, but the Oilers come home in considerably better shape at 3-6-1 than they looked heading into Ottawa with one point from the first four stops. With Taylor Hall (knee) and Ryan Smyth (groin) back in Edmonton, they got it done with goals from Ales Hemsky, Ladislav Smid, Jeff Petry and Ryan Jones in front of 29 saves from Devan Dubnyk.

Jones, who coughed up the puck on Brendan Gallagher's goal to make it 2-0 in the first period – I called it a "send-me-to-the-minors-right-now turnover" on Twitter – got the winner when he banged in a loose puck in the crease behind Carey Price. Again, as Eller said, Jones was all over the place.

Hemsky was absolutely terrific, save for failing to end any drama when he hit the post with Montreal's net empty. Mark Arcobello picked up two assists and now has 10 points. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle each had two assists and played maybe their best games of the road trip when coach Dallas Eakins needed them most.

With Hall out for as long as a month, having to play six of their next 10 games on the road and lots of twists and turns to come as fans try to figure out exactly what this team is about, it's probably best not to draw too many conclusions after this win, as big as it was.

All over the place, indeed. Eller was right.

Listen to Robin Brownlee Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Jason Gregor Show on TEAM 1260.

A sports writer since 1983, including stints at The Edmonton Journal and The Sun 1989-2007, I happily co-host the Jason Gregor Show on TSN 1260 twice a week and write when so inclined. Have the best damn lawn on the internet. Most important, I am Sam's dad. Follow me on Twitter at Robin_Brownlee. Or don't.

Nice win! Kudos to Eakins - must have said the right things in the first intermission. Also,
Nuge and Hemsky players of the game
Hemsky - Gordon/Arcobello - Perron line is a winner (Arc seems to fit in anywhere)
Yak not ready for the first line
Schultz could use some time in the pressbox, needs more tenacity
Smid score = oil win
Gritty win gotta like it

1. Petry looked good tonight before the goal. Is it fair to say that he's been one of our best this season? Is it fair to say he's improved every year? I bet of we had a D-corps, he wouldn't have to play 1st pairing minutes, wouldn't get embarrassed by Datsuyk, and we'd all appreciate Petry as a solid developing D-man who's improved every year?

2. Healthy Hemsky is always awesome. I may be unpopular for saying this, but I hope Hemsky spends his whole career with the Oil, including at least 1 ring. I heard him getting props on the radio for sacrificing the body, but IMO, he's always done that. If he's beat-up now, it's because of years of getting gooned in Copper and Blue

3. There's a word for this, but as an oil fan I don't know it. You know, when good teams suffer injuries to their star players, but then someone else is good enough to replace them. What's the word for that again? Death? Decks? johnny DEPP? Whatever, you know what I mean.

Hemsky playing some of his best hockey in a contract year. Give him credit, he is blocking shots and shooting well.

I am sick and tired of these guys all playing good in "contract years", and once a deal is signed, a ton of these guys never show up again, you see it all the time on ever single team. To many of these guys will have a good yr like Hemmer, sign a big deal, and then have 3 bad yrs, than a contract yr pops up, and they put up career totals, NUTTS, NUTTS I say...
Way too many guys cannot, and don't bring it once these mega deals are signed, that's why contracts SHOULD be limited to 2 or 3 yrs @ most. Make these guys play, it may cost teams in the long run for some guys, but it'd also save teams on many other guys...

Kinda didn't miss the pouty attitude Hall sometimes brings to the team. I feel like he can be on a "woe is me" train and who wouldn't be on this team sometimes, but I think they looked more like men than young guns tonight and played like a hockey team not like someone owed them something. They eared that one, best team game of the year minus the first period.

I said it yesterday and will repeat it. This team will play better without Hall over the next few weeks. Not because Hall isn't a good player, but I think this team starts to gel without him in the room.

That pouty attitude I think cost him the C this season. It's definetly something hall has to work on but that will go away with maturity. I would still prefer a pouty Taylor Hall on the ice than a injured one at home.

Only 4 more wins till I'm off the hook for my "drinks for everyone on me if the Oilers don't win the next six" comment before the Sens game. Go Oilers!!!! I'll keep the Colts logo up my behind in the mean time

The Oil looked great protecting their lead. They were composed & even kept the foot on the gass for a while. I don't know about y'all but I have a great feeling of security when I see Perron with the puck. He just doesn't make any bad plays.

Yak looked bloody horrible last night. He just looks lost. Is this because Eakins is forcing them to play a more North American game & Yak can't adjust? Is it moving him to the other wing? Why the hell does he look so directionless? He's soft on the puck, out of position & a giveaway machine!

Nice win! Kudos to Eakins - must have said the right things in the first intermission. Also,
Nuge and Hemsky players of the game
Hemsky - Gordon/Arcobello - Perron line is a winner (Arc seems to fit in anywhere)
Yak not ready for the first line
Schultz could use some time in the pressbox, needs more tenacity
Smid score = oil win
Gritty win gotta like it

1. Petry looked good tonight before the goal. Is it fair to say that he's been one of our best this season? Is it fair to say he's improved every year? I bet of we had a D-corps, he wouldn't have to play 1st pairing minutes, wouldn't get embarrassed by Datsuyk, and we'd all appreciate Petry as a solid developing D-man who's improved every year?

2. Healthy Hemsky is always awesome. I may be unpopular for saying this, but I hope Hemsky spends his whole career with the Oil, including at least 1 ring. I heard him getting props on the radio for sacrificing the body, but IMO, he's always done that. If he's beat-up now, it's because of years of getting gooned in Copper and Blue

3. There's a word for this, but as an oil fan I don't know it. You know, when good teams suffer injuries to their star players, but then someone else is good enough to replace them. What's the word for that again? Death? Decks? johnny DEPP? Whatever, you know what I mean.

Good to see Pitlick play well in his first game in the NHL, he skated well and had some good hits on the forecheck. I'm hoping he stays with the big club as he is 10 times the hockey player than anyone on the fourth line.

I always feel so damn good when the Oil beats either habs or the laffs. It is hard for me to describe but I truly hate and always have, these two teams. The nuck getting there as well, due to their ignorant fans. GO OIL GO!

To be fair, the Oilers didn't exactly prove Eller wrong after that first period where only Dubnyk showed up to play. The final 10 minutes of the first period were so very, very awful to watch as the team completely hung DD out to dry with not a care in the world or a sense of urgency to be found.

I honestly would have LOVED to be in the dressing room during that first intermission. I'd like to know what was said (and by who) that needed to be said to spur them back into playing hockey again so I can cheer them on harder hoping they'll keep it up.

I'm glad they were able to battle back for the win, but like Smid said in his post game they can't keep playing or starting games like this one if they want to continue winning. The blunt reality is that the Habs were a banged up team just like us who obviously took the team too lightly.

Compete hard and play with some structure every night and nobody in this league's gonna make remarks like Eller did. This win is a start, now continue earning that respect boys.

Has the Arcobello express to Stanley Avenue left the station yet? If not, I'd like a first class ticket please. 'Bout time the Oilers benefited from a where the f$&@ did that player appear from situation.

Yakupov, Nuge and Ebs were struggling quite a bit on the first period. Then everyone seemed to settled down and began fore ckecking and making better decisions with the puck. All the Arcobello naysayers, where are you now?!?!?!?!?!

The final two periods of the game provide a template of exactly how the Oilers need to play to be successful. No more high risk passes in their own zone, maintain a very high compete level, keep it simple, get it deep and forecheck hard. It is harder work and requires more discipline but winning is a lot more fun than losing.

It is going to take time for Eakins to get them to play that way consistently, and they still have some holes to fill, especially on D, but maybe they learned tonight that if they play this way they are hard to beat when they get the solid goaltending Dubnyk is now providing. In short they are learning what it means to be professionals. They are definitely not over the hump yet. There will be many more nights when we grind our teeth in frustration, but we can see what direction they need to go, and how good they can be when they do.

Now if we can just get one of the Capitals to take a cheap shot at them before Thursday's game .... Eller is a good kid and a wonderful young player and he will learn from this.